


The Years After

by pickwicklingpapers



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode s04e10, Gen, Hermione Granger is a goddamn genius, Immortal Merlin, The Doctor on His Own, the doctor is a genius
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-16
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 10:50:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2147961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickwicklingpapers/pseuds/pickwicklingpapers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of one shots showing Merlin's adventures as he waits for the Once and Future Clotpole.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Midnight

If he was honest, Merlin was tired of waiting.

The first thousand years were the worst. The second thousand year, they were the worst too. The third thousand years he didn't enjoy at all. After that, he went into a bit of a decline.

Eventually, after a couple of millennia waiting,he'd got tired of hanging around waiting for some dead guy who, if he was being truthful, had been a bit of a prat and obviously wasn't going to show up any time soon, and went off to see the world.

Or rather, worlds.

Humanity had developed space travel by that point - some genius named Scott had engineered something that seemed to Merlin to be some kind of cross between witchcraft and education. But it worked, and that was what mattered. The money that Merlin'd had sat around in banks for years had built up quite considerably, and so Merlin had left the village were he'd been living for the past hundred years or so and, having already seen the entirety of planet earth, had booked the first available flight to Mars. He'd worked his way out - one planet at a time - and soon enough he'd seen the whole damn galaxy. 

(He also had enough frequent flyer points to jet anywhere, but that was another matter.)

Then, one day, about three hundred years after the invention of large scale commercial space flight, he'd decided to fake his age and get adopted. Irresponsible, yes, but he'd been slightly drunk and it had seemed like a good idea at the time. The de-ageing spell hadn't been hard, and cute little Jethro was soon snapped up by a very nice couple who treated him well and liked to travel. But, obviously, Merlin wasn't one to make things easy for anyone, no matter how nice, and had therefore decided to become an awkward, rebellious teenager. And a goth. 

If only Arthur could see him now - spiked hair, black nails, black clothing, skinny jeans, spiked cuffs...it was a good job he hadn't decided to hit this phase whilst in Camelot. He would have been lynched. 

But the older Merlin got, the more childish he got, and so when his 'parents' (as he laughingly called them. After all, they were a good few millennia younger than him) dragged him to some diamond holiday planet named Midnight, he'd played his part. He'd whined, he'd moaned, he'd made annoying sarcastic comments. He'd been bored.

Until the tour shuttle had broken down with no explanation and the mysterious guy in the blue suit who seemed weirdly curious about everyone and everything had done some smart stuff and put on some specs, that is. After a few choice quips ("We've broken down - in the middle of nowhere!") things had decidedly more interesting. Merlin totally would have used magic, but this was hard enough to explain as it was. He didn't want to  _add_  any confusion.The the hostess had shot herself into the vacuum along with crazy possessed lady and normality had been restored. Well, as much as it could be when you were an immortal warlock who was still waiting for someone to give him a straight answer about his 'destiny'.

But then, inevitably, they'd been rescued, and Merlin had had to go back to the mind numbing tedium of waiting for King Prat. He'd much rather've hung around with the Doctor, but he'd vwopred off in some tiny box with a ginger girl.

Merlin had like the Doctor - something to do with his eyes. They were old eyes, old eyes on a young face, much like his own. Maybe, one day, they'd meet again, and could sit down and have a proper chat.

One day.


	2. Hastings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In September 1990, Merlin became a teacher in a small private primary school in London. His first class, a group of 10 and 11 year olds, contained one very special pupil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this, Merlin teaches a rather touchy subject - that time we got beat by the French. Gorramit.

"And this, kids, is the Battle of Hastings." Merlin said, flipping on to the next slide. "Can anyone tell me what happened here?"

A hand shot up on the table to his left. Its owner, a small, bushy-haired girl, quivering beneath it. Merlin smiled. Of course she knew - enthusiastic, knowledgeable...as clichéd as it was, that was why he eventually decided to become a teacher. The opportunity to mould new minds, to help educate. Plus he could always use magic to do the marking, so it was win-win, really. 

"Yes?"

"The battle of Hastings was fought in 1066. King Harold II gained the crown from his successor, Edward the Confessor. Harold fought Tostig, his brother, and Harald Hardrada, the Last Viking King, and won both those fights. In October of 1066, William of Normandy fought Harold's army at Hastings and won." The little girl recited, as if summoning up a textbook in her mind. "William became king. He made the first consensus." 

"Well done - but it's census, not consensus." Merlin grinned, walking across the classroom to sit on the edge of his desk. "Harold II did indeed inherit the crown from Edward the Confessor. Harold was crowned shortly after Edward's death - Edward had no children, you see. Because of this, the crown could be claimed by more than one person. It wasn't easy for Harold. He faced invasions from William, from Harald III of Norway - also known as Harald Hardrada - and even his own brother!" He grinned at the giggles coming from the class. "Hardrada and Tostig beat Harold's army at the Battle of Fulford in York on the 20th of September, 1066, but were then defeated by Harold at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on the 25th. Whilst Harold and his menwere marching back from Stamford, William landed _his_ forces down in Sussex, at Pevensey, on the 28th of September. Harold then had to march all the way down the country, whilst raising another army!"

He grinned at the faces beaming up at him, completely entrapped by the story. "No one knows exactly how many people fought, but historians think it was somewhere around 10,000 for William, and 7,000 for Harold. The English army was made almost entirely of infantry with a few archers, but, in the French army, only about half were infantry and the rest were either cavalry or archers." Merlin's face fell as he paused. The scholars may not know, but he did. He'd been there. He'd seen it. "We think that Harold tried to surprise William, but William's scouts found the army and told the frenchman, who then marched from Hastings to the battlefield to meet Harold. The battle lasted all day - from about nine 'til five. The Normans couldn't break the English defence, and so pretended to run away to draw the English out. The battle ended when Harold died. He was king for 290 days - less than one year. Without a leader, the English gave up and William was crowned on Christmas Day. We get lots of words from the French, such as 'beef and 'dinner'. that's why we have two words, one for cow and one for beef. As the nobles, the French only ever saw the food. As peasants, we had it the other way round, and so took their word for beef." he said, ending with a smile.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the day. "Right!" yelled Merlin, shouting over the chatter, " Homework! I want a couple of paragraphs on how Harold died, the Bayeaux tapestry, and the importance of Halley's Comet! In for Monday, no excuses!"

Merlin collapsed into his chair. Sure, it was worthwhile, but teaching a bunch of year sixes was trying at the best of times. He was willing to bet that half of the would forget the homework on Monday, and the other half wouldn't even have tried. He groaned, burying his face in his hands. He hated teaching history. It was all battles and wars, blood and guts, betrayals, and incorrect facts. A bit too close to home. Besides, he knew the facts were wrong. He just couldn't say anything - he didn't really want to answer those questions. Sure, the kids loved history  - but what small child doesn't like dismembered limbs?

"Mr Emrys, sir?" a small voice piped at his elbow, "Are you okay?"

He looked down to see the eager face of his brightest pupil.  Her hair was as wayward as usual, and she had the usual bunch of books, nestled in the crook of her arm. 

"I'm fine," he said, giving her a gentle smile, "It's just memories. Lots and lots of memories. Stories, I suppose. They're not much more than stories now."

"Like those ones you tell me about King Arthur, sir? About Gwaine and Lancelot and Gwen?" she patted his arm soothingly. "They're my favourite stories, sir. They're not like they are in the books. They seem more..true." She smiled. "I like Merlin best. I think he's like me, sir. We both have the same..." she looked away, blushing. "Um...maybe you can tell me that story sometime?"

"I'd love that." Merlin laughed, cheered up by the eager little bookworm. "But you should go, your parents will be waiting. And besides, it's Friday - go and enjoy your weekend. I want to read that essay!"

The little girl laughed before running off down the corridor, her satchel bumping her hip at every step, books spilling from all nooks and crannies. "Oh, and Hermione?" Merlin called after her. She stopped and turned, attention on her face. "Merlin's my favourite, too."

He smiled as he shut the door, sitting back down at his desk and pulling a pile of paperwork towards him. He'd have to keep an eye on that Hermione Granger. He had a good feeling about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh...I have plans now. This is going places. Look out for a new story sometime soon. Anyone got any good titles for a HP/Merlin crossover?
> 
> If you have any scenarios you want to see, please do tell me below. I'm open to anything!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy these! They'll be up whenever I get inspiration. If you have any fandoms you want, tell me in that cute little comment box below.


End file.
